Agriculture Funding Dispute: Ministry of Food and Agriculture Challenges Budget Release Figures

The Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) has formally disputed recent claims suggesting it received 85 percent of its 2026 budget allocation. MoFA insists that actual financial releases as of May 29, 2026, account for only 12.4 percent of its total approved budget.

In a press release dated June 5, 2026, the ministry labeled the figures circulating on social media as misleading. MoFA maintains that significant funding constraints continue to hamper the successful implementation of vital agricultural programs across the country.

The ministry provided a clear breakdown of the financial reality as of May 29, 2026. Out of an approved budget totaling GH¢1,970,686,606, the ministry only received GH¢244,321,150 in total releases.

The ministry highlighted several critical funding gaps affecting its flagship initiatives. Consider these key factual insights regarding the current agricultural funding situation:

• The Fertilizer and Certified Seeds Programme received only GH¢15,313,000, which represents a mere 3 percent of its approved GH¢515,313,522 budget.
• The Poultry Farm-to-Table Project, also known as Nkoko Nketenkete, received GH¢67,369,742 out of an approved allocation of GH¢244,985,117, or about 27.5 percent.
• The National Food Buffer Stock Company received zero funding despite having a specific budget allocation of GH¢200 million for strategic grain reserves.
• Zero funds reached the project earmarked for the construction of 50 Farmers’ Service Centres, despite a substantial approved budget allocation of GH¢690 million.
• MoFA reported that only 15 percent of the approved allocation for Goods and Services reached headquarters and agency operations.

These financial shortfalls directly impact procurement processes and the implementation activities for critical interventions. The ministry noted that the lack of capital expenditure funding for the Farmers’ Service Centres prevents necessary progress on that specific project.

Despite these widespread gaps, MoFA acknowledged that some capital projects did receive financial support. Irrigation-related interventions notably benefited from releases, contributing to the total capital release figure of GH¢150,330,214 as of the end of May.

The ministry urges the public to disregard inaccurate information regarding these budget disbursements. Officials argue that an accurate understanding of funding remains necessary to assess the real progress and challenges facing the agriculture sector today.

This public clarification arises amid a growing debate regarding government spending priorities. MoFA remains focused on the need for transparency to ensure that its agricultural transformation programs can achieve their intended goals for the Ghanaian economy.

Also Read: Why NAFCO Needs GH¢770 Million to Save Ghana’s Surplus Rice Harvest

Source: Ghana Politics updates